


Signal

by orphan_account



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 12:25:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11013399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: But why aren't you reacting?





	Signal

Guilt.

That’s the only thing she feels looking down at the girl’s revealed wrist.

A whole lot of consuming guilt and also discomfort.

She can see it on her own wrist too (she checked).

Identical.

Mutual.

An unmistakeable perfect match.

Many people out there desperately searched for something like this.

And yet, Momo would give everything right now for it to disappear.

"I didn’t know who it was for a few weeks so I had to test anyone who was around me when it popped up. I actually checked the guest list for the wedding and tracked people down individually. But oh my god, this is so worth it."

Worth it? To her, of course it was. This wasn't just a mere everyday occurance. On average, a person meets a perfect match less than 10 times their whole life.

The whole system's origins traced back to October 20, 2015, when aliens first made contact with Earth. It was a scary time considering the fear of the unknown but it didn't lead to an invasion or a war like many expected. As insulting as it was, the aliens found Earth and its inhabitants pitiful and a place unworthy of permanent residence. They were hundreds of thousands of years more advanced than people back then could fathom so naturally disdain was all they felt. But since they saw the planet as a charity case - they decided to help on a whim. The aliens put together a care package of some of their inventions laying around their ship to give like how one might sympathetically throw out scraps at a starving animal. They left without seeing for themselves the monumental impact of their visit.

Years of research and adjustments later, many of society’s problems were solved because of what they left behind. Everything from policies to furniture to agriculture were improved. Among one of the most prominent changes was love.

It was something most people initially thought unthinkable to manipulate but the aliens back on their home planet had somehow created a convenient tool which served to reduce the occurrence of heartbreak: a simple serum. The serum – at first, injected – altered the human gene to detect potential soulmates or partners. Now, the gene with its absolute genetic dominance is passed on with 100% certainty like how parents pass on eye color or height. Today, there isn’t a single person alive that doesn’t have the gene.

The effect it has on the body is a mark: appearing on the left wrist like a tatto are animated wavelengths (that look like moving radio waves) on the sides of a red cartoon-like heart. It only appears when a person nearby could be a romantic partner and disappears when they're out of a certain radius.

In other words, it's a signal of love.

And as crazy as the idea sounded... it magically worked. Divorce rates worldwide fell to a stagnating 1% and infedility became less and less rampant. Although mutual connections detected by the gene aren’t foolproof or necessarily mean an undisputable happy ending - the unknown mechanism behind it was dependable and as much of a guarantee as you can get for a fulfilling relationship.

It was ideal and way better than eHarmony or Tinder. And besides who could turn down something so sure?

Momo forces a smile at the clearly excited stranger in front of her. A wedding she said? Perhaps they met at her sister, Hana's, last month? There were huge crowds there so she doesn't remember seeing her. "A-ah, you must have went through a lot of trouble looking for me... but I'm sorry I already have someone."

The person instantly frowns, obviously not expecting to be rejected. Her eyebrows furrow as she questions the claim, "But that doesn’t make sense. If you were taken then the mark wouldn’t be appearing right now."

After a relationship is formed, the gene only activates for that one person. Unless your partner suddenly dies or the relationship is in the 1% margin, the mark never appears for anyone else again. It was common sense.

"...It’s one-sided."

"Excuse me? One-sided?"

"The mark appears for me. Not for her." She can't help but pout, feeling a little embarrassed.

The serum wasn’t perfect. It couldn’t eliminate unrequited love. Sometimes the people you’re meant for aren’t meant for you. It was unfair but life wasn't a jigsaw puzzle with every little piece fitting where they were supposed to be. Even the aliens had no solution for that.

"Oh," she nods, suddenly cheerful again. "I see. You’re hung up on a mismatch. That’s cute, I guess. But you do know those end in failure 99% of the time, don't you?"

"I do..." All too well, she thinks. She had researched everything about mismatches a while ago. A couple not linked with the gene's help were seen as something a part of casual hook-up culture. Or even less than that. It wasn't even considered a relationship to begin with and it wasn't treated seriously. Those who did treat it seriously reported nothing short of tragedy as the final result every time.

"Then it's simple. Forget her and be with me. I'll help you move on."

"Eh... thanks for the offer but I really don't want to." Momo mumbles, fiddling with her thumbs.

"C'mon, you can't be serious. Look at our wrists."

"No, I am serious. I'm very serious. I'm never this serious for anything."

She doesn't know if it's her words or her tone or the fact that she's adamant about not looking but the stranger's smile falters like she's now just getting the fact that she was being turned down. "Wow, I'm in disbelief you're throwing away a perfect match right now but you're going to regret it. Trust me. You think you can stay by someone you're not compatible with because you're young but you'll see and change your mind eventually. It's inevitable."

At least she was being semi-polite. Usually she gets a lot of anger (as was her experience for her last two matches she equally turned away) and a common phrase reiterated in different versions: are you that stupid to go against human nature?

Nonetheless, it's not like hearing what she said made her feel pleasant either.

Momo cuts the conversation short, apologizes again and says an urgent goodbye. From a few feet away, a familiar head of pink hair appears waiting for her next to the vending machine of a convenience store.

"Who was that? What did she want?" Nayeon looks up from her holographic mobile phone.

"We matched." She doesn't think to lie.

"Oh." It looks like the elder of the two isn't exactly thrilled about the information but it disappears as quickly as it shows. She hands her friend the drink she requested she get from the machine and laughs, "She was pretty, are you gonna go for it?"

Momo peaks momentarily at the smooth and blemish free skin on Nayeon's wrist - no indication of anything ever occupying the area.

She takes the bottled soda from her and brightly beams. "Of course not."

They both ignore her own wrist, still flashing the signal she's had for Nayeon for years.


End file.
